Kelly Reilly, Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast, Verso Studios at Westport Library 8-24-21

The Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast is a deep-dive interview series with musicians, artists, conduits, collectors, and dedicated fans focusing on 20th century Connecticut music history across all genres. This project preserves narratives, heralds unsung movers and shakers, and defines Connecticut’s influential role in cultural history. https://kellyreilly.bandcamp.com/ Kelly Reilly is a musician and rock ‘n’ roll interlocuteur who has held court at the center of New Haven, Connecticut’s vibrant music scene. Reilly discovered rock ‘n’ roll by grifting her mother’s Little Richard records, forever enamored by scratchy, soulful voices. At age ten, she stole T. Rex’s The Slider album from her older brother becoming instantly obsessed: the voice, the look, the hair, the lyrics all seemed so familiar. She took refuge from harsh middle school adversity in locked-door bedroom listening sessions with The Slider, expanding to the likes of David Bowie, Sly & The Family Stone, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Janis Joplin et al. An experience with a psychic medium revealed Marc Bolan and Reilly shared past lives. By 15, Reilly discovered the burgeoning punk scene at Ron’s Place in New Haven, CT, a universe equal to the upstarts of NYC, Cleveland/Akron, OH, London and L.A. The Saucers, the Snotz, and the Poodle Boys reigned supreme and Reilly was determined to make her mark. Teens Kelly Reilly, Marcy LaBella, Deb Colby, Kathy Milani and Lynn Lacoss got their notarized parental papers in order to play local clubs as Baby Strange. The band’s name was naturally lifted from a T. Rex track on The Slider by Reilly. Rubber pants, Batman underoos, Beatle boots, raunchy lyrics, and fearless attitudes lit up New Haven nights as Baby Strange’s days were still consumed with the doldrums of high school schedules. Baby Strange remained a fixture of the Ron’s Place scene, extending their shows to Max’s Kansas City and Providence, RI’s Living Room. A second, new-wave, male-backed version of Baby Strange caught the ear of the Cars drummer, David Robinson. At the height of Cars fame, Robinson was grooming Baby Strange for rock ‘n’ roll success, with intentions of producing the band at the Car’s Syncro Sound Studios on Newbury St. in Boston. But Baby Strange Mach II disintegrated all too soon and Reilly suffered a heavy musical loss. Reilly and David Robinson remain close lifelong friends. 2020 marks Reilly’s return to form with a take on her all-time favorite song, T. Rex’s “Ballrooms Of Mars” and original “Ready For The Morning.” Reilly was encouraged by her partner and creative collaborator Richard Dev Greene (Pale Moon Gang, Plimsouls) and backed by longtime New Haven confidant Dean Falcone (The Excerpts, Tipsy in Chelsea, Shellye Valauskas). Reilly originally met Falcone at a Baby Strange gig at the Oxford Ale House. At 15, Falcone and his Excerpts bandmate Jon Brion (Spoon, Rufus Wainwright, Robyn Hitchcock) were unable to get in and resorted to watching Baby Strange wide-eyed, outside, through the stage window. Tracks were recorded in Brooklyn, NY, Weehawken, NJ and New Haven, CT at Mighty Toad, Hobo Sound and Firehouse 12. Sessions were engineered by James Frazee (Patti Smith, Sharon Van Etten), Craig Dreyer (James Hunter, Keith Richards) and Greg DiCosta (Damone, Hatebreed, John Zorn), with mastering by Kim Rosen (Bonnie Raitt, Bettye Lavette, Dirty Fences). You gonna look fine Be primed for dancing You're gonna trip and glide All on the trembling plane Your diamond hands Will be stacked with roses And wind and cars And people of the past… - Marc Bolan